Means for sealing closures of electrical devices



July 21, 1936. H. BLAKESLEE 7,936

MEANS FOR SEALING CLOSURES OF ELECTRICAL DEVICES Filed Feb. 20, 1936 Patented July 21, 1936 UNIVTD ATENT OFFICE- MEANS FOR SEALING CLOSURES OF ELECTRICAL DEVICES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to means devised for locking and sealing service boxes, channels, cabinets and similar closures containing electrical devices and appliances which it is desired to protect against unauthorized and surreptitious tampering or manipulation.

It has been common practice to provide a fixed section of these closures with two or more perforated lugs or posts that project through openings in an openable section and to slide a locking bar or rod through the lug or post perforations and seal the bar or rod so that it cannot be removed without severing the seal. In the prior arrange.- ments if one end of the locking bar or rod is provided with a head that will not pass through the lug or post perforations it is necessary to slide the bar or rod its full length through one lug or post and slide its unheaded end through the other lug or post, and subsequently seal the unheaded end so that it cannot be withdrawn. If the locking bar or rod was not headed and one end was first slid through one lug or post and then slid back to pass the other end through the other lug or post it was necessary to seal both ends of the locking bar or rod. Often the closures are mounted in positions where it is diflicult to slide the locking bars or rods through the lugs or posts, as in corners, or against beams, or with the closures arranged end to end.

The object of this invention is the provision of simple, cheap and strong means whereby secure locking and sealing of closures of the type mentioned may be easily efiected by a bar or rod and a single seal even if the closures are mounted in corners with their ends against a wall or beam, or mounted in rows end to end. In attaining this object a locking bar or rod is provided with a seal receiving opening at one end and its other end is looped to U-shape or returned whereby the seal receiving end may be first passed through one lug or post and then the looped end swung in and the end of its short limb passed through the other lug or post, both ends being passed through the lugs or posts with a motion in a single direction.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows a top view of a meter connection box locked and sealed by means embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view looking toward one end.

Fig. 4 is a view looking toward the opposite end.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the lug at one end.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the lug at the other end.

The closure illustrated is a box having top wall 1, back wall 8, bottom wall 9, end walls l and removable front wall H. The shape, construction and material of the box may be varied, the particular box shown has its top, back and bottom walls stamped to shape from a single sheet of steel with a flange l2 bent up from the bottom wall across the front. The bottom edge of the front wall is engaged back of the flange l2 and the top edge of the front wall has a backwardly bent flange l3 that overlaps the front edge of the top wall. Fastened to and extending upward from the top wall near one end of the box is 2. lug l4 and near the other end of the box is a lug l5, the former lug desirably has a curved slot l6 and the latter lug a straight slot II. The back-turned flange l3 of the removable front wall has openings which receive the lugs and allow the flange to pass down onto the top wall of the box when the lower edge of the front wall is inserted behind the bottom flange I 2.

The locking bar I8 is formed of a flat strip of steel although other material and shape could be adopted. One end of this bar has a slot IQ for receiving the wire of a seal 20. The other end of the locking bar is bent to U-shape and its short limb 2| is shaped to pass through the slot IS in the lug I4.

In order to lock the front wall of the box the sealing end of the lock bar is thrust through the lug l and the U-shaped end is swung back and the short limb 2| thrust through the lug I 4. Any common type of seal may be used. When the seal is secured it is impossible to withdraw the locking bar without cutting the seal wire. In unlocking the front wall of the box shown, after the seal wire is cut, the bar is pushed a short distance longitudinally and when the short limb 2! of the U- shaped bend is free from the lug I4 that end can be swung out and the other end of the bar withdrawn from the lug I5. The slot l1 through the lug I5 is usually made fiat for receiving the flat end of the bar, whereas it is preferred that the slot it through the lug I 4 be curved and the U- shaped bend of the bar also be curved to fit this slot. With this arrangement there is but one way of putting the locking bar in place for the slot in the lug I 4 will only receive the curved section of the U-shaped end and the slot in the lug [5 will only receive the flat end of the bar. This locking bar is simple and cheap to make and it can be applied to and removed from the closures very quickly regardless of the location of the box.

The invention claimed is:

Means for locking and sealing a. closure for electrical appliances which comprises two lugs fixed to and projecting outwardly from a fixed section of the closure through openings in a detachable section of the closure, said lugs having slots of different contour beyond the detachable member, and a locking bar with one end U-shaped and the other end straight, the short limb of the U-shaped end of said bar being outlined to pass through the slot in one lug only, and the straight end of said bar being outlined to pass through the other lug only.

HENRY J. BLAKESLEE. 

